Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/837756
IT'S THE HAPPENING PLACE During an informal meeting with a group of Macon Magazine Five Under 40, the conversation turned to downtown. That's when one person said "Poplar Street is the happening place now." Imagine your reaction if someone had said that to you five years ago. But it's true. Poplar is the next step in an on-going downtown revitalization that continues to gain momentum. With the old Capricorn Studio mixed-use development being built at one end of Poplar and the planned hotel-retail-apartment development at the other, that area of downtown should be a destination point for years to come. That would have been hard to imagine a very short time ago. And, as we go to press for this issue, another round of Downtown Challenge grants have just been announced. That brings the total investment in a variety of innovative ideas aimed at further enhancing downtown to $1.4 million with more money designated to be spent. The future of downtown is unfolding in real time. More lofts are being built, more restaurants and shops are opening for business. It is a sight to behold. Which brings us what you're holding in your hand. This is the second edition of our annual New Downtown publication. Last year's was very well received, and we're hoping for the same reaction this year. It is a publication Macon Magazine does in partnership with NewTown Macon. Editorial content is minimal as this is meant to provide an image-heavy view of downtown businesses. It's part of our June-July issue, but it is also a separate publication that is distributed at various locations in the community. We hope you will use this as a guide to so many of the good things that are happening in our city. The businesses represented here have invested in downtown. They, along with many others, are pegging their futures on Macon having a vibrant, lively, active downtown. What had seemed a pipedream only a few years ago has become a reality. During a recent conversation with a local restaurant owner, we started counting the number of dining spots downtown that have outdoor seating. We stopped counting at 12. I don't know about you, but I enjoy walking past umbrellas shading tables and chairs on First, Second, Third and Cherry streets. There is a rhythm – a sense of place – that is undeniable in the heart of Macon. And it only promises to get better. If you're a regular visitor to downtown, you know what I'm talking about. If you've not been downtown for some time, you don't know what you're missing. - Macon Magazine